Over the past twenty-five years I’ve been asked just about every mortgage question there is. Rather than answer them one at a time, I’ve been writing them down — and there are now more than 500 articles here covering FHA, VA, USDA, credit, down payment help, self-employed income, refinancing, and buying a home in Northeast Florida.

This page is the front door. Search it, or browse by topic below. If you don’t find your answer, call or text me at 904-880-6741 and I’ll just tell you.

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Popular searches: credit · VA · FHA · USDA · down payment · self-employed · refinance · jumbo

Start Here

• Thinking about your first home — the full Jacksonville guide: programs, down payment help, and how the process actually runs
• What paperwork you’ll need — the complete document checklist
• What credit score lenders actually use — not the number on the app on your phone
• Down payment help in Florida — every Florida Housing program, side by side
• Buying with little or nothing down — the zero-down routes that genuinely exist here
• Get pre-approved — what it takes, and why it comes first

First-Time Buyers

• The Jacksonville first-time buyer guide — programs, down payment help, and the whole process start to finish
• St. Johns County — Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine
• Clay County — Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg
• Nassau County — Yulee, Callahan, Fernandina Beach
• Buying with no money down — the zero-down routes that genuinely exist in Florida
• First-time buyer mistakes to avoid — the ones I see most often, and how to dodge them
• FHA for first-time buyers — why it is often the first-timer’s answer
• So you want to buy a home — start here if you are at the very beginning

VA Loans

• Getting your Certificate of Eligibility — I can usually pull this for you
• VA loans in St. Johns County — St. Augustine and the surrounding area
• VA loans in Clay County — including near Camp Blanding
• VA loans in Nassau County — including near Kings Bay
• Disabled veteran property tax exemption — how Florida’s exemption works
• VA compensating factors — qualifying when the numbers are not perfect
• Gift funds on a VA loan — who can give, and how to document it
• After a bankruptcy or foreclosure — extenuating circumstances on FHA and VA

VA guidelines may change, and lender overlays may be stricter.

FHA Loans

• FHA vs conventional — which one actually costs you less
• FHA in St. Johns County — limits and what qualifies locally
• FHA in Clay County — limits and what qualifies locally
• FHA in Nassau County — limits and what qualifies locally
• FHA streamline refinance — refinancing an FHA loan with less paperwork
• FHA plus down payment assistance — pairing the two in Florida
• FHA gift fund rules — who can gift you money, and how to document it
• Past-due child support — what happens to an FHA file

FHA guidelines may change, and lender overlays may be stricter.

USDA and Rural Florida

• USDA in Northeast Florida — where USDA actually works around Jacksonville
• USDA guaranteed loan FAQ — the questions I get asked most
• USDA manual underwriting — when the automated system says no
• USDA on a manufactured home — the updated guidelines explained
• Manufactured home foundation inspection — the inspection nobody warns you about

USDA guidelines may change, and lender overlays may be stricter.

Down Payment and Closing Costs

• Florida Housing programs compared — every program, side by side
• Hometown Heroes — for teachers, nurses, first responders and more
• The Florida Bond program — how it works and who qualifies
• Down payment help in Jacksonville — what is available locally
• Chenoa down payment assistance — another route to a covered down payment
• Closing costs in Jacksonville — what they really run here
• Gift funds for your down payment — getting help from family, documented properly
• The full gift fund rules — who can give, and what the lender needs

Down payment assistance is available for qualified borrowers. Program guidelines apply, and program funding and availability can change — ask me what is open right now.

Credit

• What credit scores lenders really use — not the number on the app on your phone
• Lender credit overlays — why one lender says no and the next says yes
• What score you need in Jacksonville — realistic minimums by loan type
• Soft credit check — checking your options without a hard pull
• Unfreezing your credit report — step by step
• No score, or an ITIN — options that still exist
• Seller credits — getting the seller to help with your costs

Refinancing and Home Equity

• Refinance now or wait — how to think about the timing
• How a refinance works — start to finish
• 90% cash-out, 10%-down second homes, jumbo to $3M — three options most borrowers do not know about
• Refinance closing costs — what a refinance actually costs in Florida
• Fixed-rate HELOC — a line of credit without the moving rate
• Equity when your returns show a loss — options for self-employed homeowners
• Loan modification — if you are struggling with the payment you have

Self-Employed, Investors and Non-QM

• Qualifying without tax returns — how self-employed borrowers get approved
• How long you need to be self-employed — the real requirement
• Bank statement loans in Clay County — qualifying on deposits
• Bank statement loans in St. Johns County — qualifying on deposits
• Bank statement loans in Nassau County — Amelia Island and Fernandina
• Bank statement loans at jumbo size — for higher loan amounts
• Financing a rental property — what lenders look for
• Short-term rentals in St. Augustine — DSCR financing for vacation rentals
• Using rental income to qualify — how it counts

DSCR, short-term rental and investment property loans are business-purpose loans for non-owner-occupied rental or commercial property.

Loan Types A to Z

• 2026 conforming loan limits — more buying power in Florida
• Conforming vs non-conforming — choosing the right fit
• Jumbo loans on the beaches — Ponte Vedra and the coast
• Adjustable-rate mortgages — how ARMs work in 2026
• When an ARM beats a fixed rate — and when it does not
• The case for a fixed rate — predictability over the long run
• Financing a Florida condo — what to check before you apply
• Condo insurance requirements — the rules that trip condo buyers up
• Manufactured homes and small loan amounts — options that still exist
• Renovation loans — buying a home and financing the work
• Reverse mortgages — for homeowners 62 and over
• Commercial property financing — programs for investors and business owners

The Mortgage Process

• The complete document checklist — everything a lender will ask for
• Getting pre-approved — what it takes, and why it comes first
• Can I qualify? — the complete Florida qualifying guide
• Debt-to-income ratio — how lenders measure what you can afford
• Denied for debt-to-income — what options remain
• Qualifying on assets — when income alone does not tell the story
• Homeowners insurance in Florida — what it costs and why it matters to your loan
• Home inspections — standard, 4-point and wind mitigation
• Transferring an appraisal — moving it to a new lender

Can’t Find It? Just Ask.

I’d rather answer your question directly than have you guess. Call or text me at 904-880-6741, or request a rate quote or start your application.

Available for qualified borrowers. Program guidelines apply. Rates and terms are subject to change. All loans subject to credit approval. FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines may change, and lender overlays may be stricter. DSCR and investment property loans are business-purpose loans for non-owner-occupied rental or commercial property. Any rate or payment figure referenced in these articles is an estimate based on the information provided.

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About the author
Nathan Young is the founder and president of North Star Mortgage Network, Inc., 2025 NAMB Mortgage Broker of the Year and 2026 NAMB Influencer of the Year. He has helped Florida families finance homes since 2000.
Nathan Young, NMLS #325206 | North Star Mortgage Network, Inc., Company NMLS #356789
12058 San Jose Blvd, Suite 404, Jacksonville, FL 32223
904-880-6741 | nathan@nsmn.com | www.nsmn.com
Equal Housing Opportunity